Armies of Liberation

MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - A missile frigate from Russia’s Baltic Fleet arrived at the port of Aden in Yemen on its way to join an international naval group fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, the Russian Navy said.

“After water and food replenishments, the warship will carry out measures to protect shipping in the coastal waters of Somalia where sea pirates are active. In particular, the Neustrashimy frigate may escort passenger and merchant vessels,” the Russian Navy said, adding that the warship had the right to use force, including weapons, against pirates.

The Neustrashimy (Fearless) frigate is to join an international naval group, which has surrounded a Ukrainian ship, the MV Faina, after it was seized by Somali pirates on September 25. The Faina, which was carrying tanks and heavy weapons, has a crew of 17 Ukrainian nationals, two Russians, and one Lithuanian on board.

The Faina’s Russian captain died of a heart attack after the vessel was seized. The pirates holding the ship have demanded an $8 million ransom, and have threatened to kill the hostages if a military operation is launched against them.

The Neustrashimy’s armament includes SS-N-25 Switchblade anti-ship missiles, SA-N-9 Gauntlet SAM, a 100-mm gun, torpedoes and depth charges. The frigate also carries a Ka-27 ASW helicopter.

Pirates are increasingly active in the waters off Somalia, which has no effective government and no navy to police its coastline. Somali pirates have seized around 30 ships so far this year off the coast of the east African nation.

Possible Base

Sana’a, 16 Oct. (ITAR-TASS). The speaker of the Federation Council Sergey Mironov does not exclude the possibility that during the Yemeni President would bring up the issue of re-establishing Russian naval bases on Socotra Island in the Gulf of Aden during his visit to Moscow.

In answer to the question if Russia has any plans to do so, Mironov said, “I think that this theme will be discussed concretely during Ali Abdallah Saleh’s visit to Moscow”. Mironov did not discuss the length of the visit.

The speaker considers the future use of Yemeni ports by the Russian Navy as well as re-establishment of a base to be possible. “We have to proceed step by step, taking into account new vectors in the foreign and defense policies of Russia and the increase in op tempo by the Navy. I think that its possible that we will examine the issue of the use of Yemeni ports by Russian Naval ships”, he said.

Ukranian, (like the tanks?)

The Miracle MiG Makeover
October 14, 2008: Egypt and Yemen have hired a Ukrainian firm to upgrade most of their MiG-21 fighters. Egypt has 62 MiG-21s, while Yemen has 47. Egypt had earlier upgraded some of its MiG-21s with British electronics. The Ukrainian firm (Odesaremservis), will install a modern, digital, cockpit (flat panel color displays and far fewer switches and buttons to deal with). Installed under the aircraft will be a laser designator and camera so that the aircraft can deliver smart bombs.

The 9.5 ton MiG-21 is a 1950s design. Poor flight controls and lousy visibility limited what a good pilot could do with this aircraft. But few good pilots flew the MiG-21, as it was built for poorly trained pilots who mainly followed instructions from someone on the ground. It can carry two tons of bombs and missiles.

After the American experience with smart bombs over the last two years, most air forces have accepted the fact that the more expensive (starting at $30,000 each) smart bombs are more effective than the much cheaper ($500 or less) dumb bombs. This potentially makes the MiG-21 a much more effective aircraft.

The Ukrainian firm also offers the Sura targeting helmet, which enables the pilot to look at the target and fire a Russian R-73 heat seeking missile, that will then go after the target the pilot is looking at. If the MiG-21 is facing roughly equivalent aircraft, the Sura helmet makes the aircraft a much more effective dog-fighter.

The Ukrainian cockpit and targeting upgrade costs several million dollars per aircraft.

from Russia, Yemen Post

Yemen announced that it will postpone the regional summit for fighting piracy, which was planned to be held in Sana’a next week. Participating countries were expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation between them in fighting piracy.

From his part, Minster of Transportation, Khalid Al-Wazir, told media outlets that the postponing came in response to the Regional Center for Combating Piracy request, adding that the summit will be held later this year.

Al-Wazir assured that Yemen will establish a center in Sana’a for monitoring ships in collaboration with 20 countries and International Maritime Organization.

In the meantime, seven military ships from six different countries have headed to Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden in a mission to fight Somali pirates, and to protect trade ships and fisheries from pirates operations, whose attacks have risen over the last few months, especially in the international waters between Yemen and Somalia.

This comes within the country’s efforts to restrict piracy activities targeting ships off Yemen’s coasts, especially in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Piracy activities have long been a headache for international navigation in the Gulf of Aden, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and connects Asia and Europe.

A Yemeni official who preferred not to reveal himself, told a Chinese agency that president Saleh’s visit to regional countries came as the result of the Yemeni government’s worry for business ships that pass by the Gulf of Aden.

The sudden movement by regional countries came after pirate’s hijacked a Ukrainian ship that was believed to be carrying seven tankers. Further, pirates warned that they would explode the ship if procedures were taken against them.

Sources who asked to be left anonymous mentioned to the Yemen Post that the tanks that were on the Ukrainian ship were on their way to Yemen, and were part of the military agreement signed between Russia and Yemen.

Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Mrs. Sergey Meronof said last Friday while visiting Yemen that her country intends to send more military ships soon to free the Ukrainian ship if needed.

Increased Russian Naval Presence, Increased Use of Yemen’s Ports for Military and other Goals

Russia could resume naval presence in Yemen

SANA, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said on Thursday that Russia could resume a naval presence in Yemen.

Authorities in the Middle East country are calling on Moscow to help fight piracy and possible terrorist threats. The U.S.S.R. had a major naval base in the former socialist state of South Yemen, which merged with North Yemen in 1990 to form the present-day Yemen.

Speaking to journalists in Sana, the capital of Yemen, Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov said the new direction of Russia’s foreign and defense policies and an increase in its naval missions would be taken into consideration when making a decision on the request.

“It’s possible that the aspects of using Yemen ports not only for visits by Russian warships, but also for more strategic goals will be considered,” he said.

(Read on …)

Of Yemen’s 5.9 billion in external debt, Yemen owes Russia about one billion for military hardware including the Mig 29’s.

Yemen Post

Preparations at Yemeni Foreign Ministry are underway for President Saleh’s expected visit to Russia in which he seeks to buy large quantities of weapons.

Diplomatic sources announced that Saleh’s visit comes at a time the region witnesses complicated developments together with Russia’s differences with western countries and America over the last Russian-Georgian conflict.

The same sources further indicated that Yemen has balanced stances of world powers, hinting the visit comes within the frame of the developed relations between Yemen and Russia.

Observers note that Saleh seeks to buy modern Russian fighters and reinforce the military arsenal after a four-year war in Sa’ada that exhausted the country’s both budget and military armament.

26 Sept

Defence Minister Mohammed Nasser Ahmed concluded a successful several-day visit to Russia.
During his visit to Moscow, the Defence Minister held talks with a number of Russian officials on the aspects of cooperation relations between the two countries, particularly in fields of military and Combating and preventing terrorism.
Ahmed also met at Yemen’s embassy in Moscow with Yemeni undergraduates studying in Russian military academies in which he delivered a speech focusing on a number of the national issues and the latest developments witnessed in the homeland, especially the rebellion movement in some districts of Saada governorate.
He confirmed that his country’s government had dealt with the al-Houthi rebellion in accordance with the interests of the country.
For the concern situations in some southern provinces, Defence Minister Mohammed Ahmed considered them “an expression of less than 20 or 30 persons only”.

(Also Iran with regard to the nuclear file and China with regard to Tibet.)

Well if Russia want to resolve conflicts in accordance with SC resolutions, then they support the overdue implementation of 924 and 931.

MOSCOW, April 30 (RIA Novosti) - Yemen has endorsed a Russia-proposed concept for ensuring security in the Persian Gulf, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Yemeni counterpart, Abu Bakr Abdallah al-Qirbi, on Wednesday.

Russia’s concept envisions, in particular, that all disputes and conflicts in the Gulf be resolved on the basis of international law and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

“Yemen, just as other countries in the region, is interested in a more stable and secure Persian Gulf. Russia has some ideas on this score, which are supported by our Yemeni friends - ideas aimed at creating a security system in the region,” Lavrov said.

The Yemeni minister said he agreed with Lavrov’s position.

“We believe that the security concerns that exist in the Persian Gulf can be addressed on the basis of the strategic security concept for the Gulf that has been proposed by the Russian Federation,” Abu Bakr Abdallah al-Qirbi said.

(Read on …)

Time for a little levity, Saleh to get Russian medal for peace efforts.

26 September Net

It is scheduled to arrive Sana’a in 17 May a delegation comprised of the civil organizations in Federal Republic of Russia in a visit for discussing with Yemeni civil organizations aimed to enhancing joint cooperation.

A well-known sources told “26 September Net” that the Russian delegation during his visit will hand over HE President Saleh a higher medal for his role in achieving the world peace as well as his good efforts in solving problems at regional and international levels.

Where HE president Saleh has got during the last years a Russian medal honoring his role in accomplishing Yemeni unity and solving the issues of borders peacefully.

I was surprised to learn Russia is Yemen’s biggest creditor country.

How many years has it been that the regime is planning and publicizing another power station in Marib, four year?

Yemen Observer

The distinguished political relations between Yemen and Russia must be reflected at the level of economic relations and investment, said Sallah Mohamed Said al-Attar, Chairman of the General Authority for Investment. He called on Russian businessmen to invest in the energy field in Yemen, which is suffering from a large deficit.

“We must exploit the surge of financial power in Russia and due to the high prices of oil and gas invite Russian companies to work in Yemen,” said al-Attar during a meeting with a delegation of Russian businessmen.

Al-Attar said that the production of electrical power in Yemen would reach 1600 megawatts after a second electrical station in Marib has been opened which will produce 320-400 megawatts. Electricity gas stations will be established with a capacity of up to 800 megawatts, and there is a government direction to build five lines of liquefied gas from Marib to Ma’abar providing energy production.

(Read on …)

Saudi Arabia, Russia Yemen’s biggest creditors by far.

Yemen Observer

External Yemeni debt, the debts that Yemen owes to foreign countries, increased to $5.620 billion by the end of July 2007, compared with $5.469 billion at the end of December 2006, according to the official report issued by the Central Bank of Yemen. The amount Yemen currently owes other countries equals some 34 percent of its Gross Domestic Product.

The Central Bank report listed Yemen’s debts to member states of the Paris Club as follows: $1.242 billion to Russia; $233 million to Japan; $99 million to the US; $87 million to France; $24 million to Italy and $26 million to Spain.The Paris Club is an informal group of financial officials from 19 of the world’s richest countries which provides financial services such as debt restructuring, relief and cancellation to indebted countries and their creditors.

The report showed that debt to non-members of the Paris Club is also large, having reached $978 billion. It includes debts of $318 million to the Saudi Fund; $164 million to the Kuwait Fund; $154 million to Kuwait Deposits; $170 million to China; $34 million to Korea; $79 million to Algeria; $35 million to Poland and $17 million to the Iraqi Fund.

(Read on …)

Syrian FM praises Yemeni regional stands

[30 November 2007]

DAMASCUS, Nov. 30 (Saba) - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem expressed on Thursday his appreciation of the Yemeni regional stands on the Arab issues.

During his meeting here with Yemeni ambassador to Syria Salah al-Ansi, Muallem asserted the firmness of relations between the two brotherly countries and his country’s keenness on boosting them in the future.

Al-Ansi affirmed, for his part, willingness of the government to advance the Yemeni-Syrian ties to serve both peoples’ interests.

Loan form China to finance Chinese company that will build cement factory

Chinese deputy minister of foreign affairs to visit Yemen soon

[30 November 2007]

SANA’A, Nov. 30 (Saba)- Chinese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is to visit Yemen by mid of next month, 26sep.net report on Friday.

According to official sources, the Chinese official would hold talks with the officials in the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation to sign a loan agreement at 40 million Yuan.

The sum will be used to develop Bajel Cement Factory that will be implemented by a Chinese company at amount of $115 million.

AH/AM

Saba

Al-Motamar: Russia to build trains.

almotamar.net - Yemen’s ambassador to Moscow Mohammed Saleh al-Hilali announced Friday that Yemen plans to build a railroad that will link Yemen to Saudi Arabia and Oman with the help of Russia.

Al-Hilali called on Russian businessmen for investing in this project and affirmed that the Yemeni government would offer facilities and guarantees t foreign investors.

In an interview with the Russian Novosty news agency the Yemeni ambassador announced that the Russian-Yemeni Business Council would, under a support from the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry would organise the Russian-Yemeni Forum in Sana’a on 8-12 of December , 2007.

The forum aims to develop relations between governmental industrial, financial and scientific circles in Yemen and Russia.

Yemen plans to build railway linking with Saudi Arabia, Oman

[01 December 2007]

SANA’A, Dec 01(Saba)- The Yemeni ambassador to Russia Mohammed Saleh al-Hilali has said to the Russian news and information agency “RIA Novosti” that Yemen plans to build railways linking Yemen with Saudi Arabia and Oman, the state-run 26sep.net reported on Saturday.

Al-Hilali urged Russian businessmen to invest in the project, affirming the government would offer special facilitations to the Russian investors.

Al-Hilali noted the Yemeni-Russian Businessmen’s Council would organize a forum to reinforce relations between industrial, financial, scientific and governmental bodies in the two countries.

The forum will be organized under an invitation from the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Foreign Ministry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

FR/YA